Its was 230 am…Again. I couldn’t sleep, and my heart was racing. I remember and staring out the window of my bedroom with the strangest mix of emotions. My mind wouldn’t shut down. I alternated between unbridled motivation and excitement to sheer panic. This does not bode well for rest.
I’d figured out exactly what I wanted to do with my life. Only a handful of people ever truly have the realization that there is a single thing that … Read the rest
Have you had heroes in your life?
When I was young, it was “Superman”.
I’ve had very few as an adult who became a firefighter, paramedic, and student of the human condition.
I’ve learned that the term is thrown around by television and news to hype stories. I also find that those news outlets typically begin looking for the “fallen hero” story before the ink has dried on their original story because it sells advertising. A complete fool can be
Oral boards often include “Situational Questions”. These are questions that require the candidate to answer as to what they would do when faced with situations regarding safety, conflicting orders, alcohol/drugs, gambling, etc.
The way to handle these questions is to think through what these questions are about as a whole and how to frame their answer for any situation that comes up. Then, if you believe in what you’re saying, don’t be led astray by the inevitable follow up questions.
Bryan commented on a recent blog post:
“Thanks for the article Paul. It was a great read and I definitely agree that “the quickest road to success is one that leads straight to the ultimate goal.” I think step one, once you meet all of the requirements, is to practice written tests. I can’t tell you how many guys I know that have been trying to become firefighters for years and cannot even get past the written test process. I … Read the rest
I’m consistently seeing candidates that ask a type of question that illustrates a HUGE and very common mistake that people make in pursuit of their dreams. The questions often look like this:
“Should I get my two year degree in Fire Science or should I go for a more broad subject matter? I want to have the best degree to get the job when I start applying, but I think I need to hedge my bets just in case.”
“Which … Read the rest
Books are filled with the principals regarding how to answer Firefighter Oral Board Questions. In fact, i’m writing a new one right now. The thing is…You have to start with some basic principals to the Oral Board Process. Here are the first few I like to share with candidates:
1. Show up at least thirty minutes early.
You’ll take advantage of having plenty of time to quiet your mind and prepare your thoughts or adjust to location changes within large
The Written Exam is the first of the Fire Department Entrance Exams. Its most often used to set a cut off for who will go forward to the Physical Agility and then Oral Board Examinations. In these cases, it allows the department one is applying for to reduce the field of candidates to make the process more time and cost effective. At other times, the score is added to other scores achieved in the testing process to determine an overall
Laird Hamilton prepares himself constantly to be ready for the moment that “life” gives him the opportunity to seize his dream. He’s done this for years and years, and as a result, he’s considered one of the greatest “Watermen” of all time. He surfs the biggest, most dangerous waves in the world with a power, flow, and seeming oneness with the water that is awe inspiring.
Getting a job in the fire service is much like catching the perfect wave. … Read the rest
“I really want to work on the fire department. What should I do to get started?” -several hundred would-be firefighters first words each time I meet them.
People waste alot of time with highly unproductive activity in their pursuit of a life in the fire service. It drives me a little crazy because I did it when I first got started, and it causes me pain to even think about. I’m going to use my first post to save fire
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